Refrigerated milk delivery truck



NOV. 13, 1951 c l s 2,574,585

REFRIGERATED MILK DELIVERY TRUCK Filed Sept. 5, 1950 v z suEETs saaET 1-l I55 gf l/lmv ll/ll I IIIIII x 96 IZI :3 95 5 Q7 99 57" IN VEN TOR.CHE/577%? lV/ELSEN C. NIELSEN ,REFRIGERATED MILK DELIVERY TRUCK Nov. 13,1951 Filed Sept. 5, 1950 2 Sl-lEETS-Sl-IEET 2 IN V EN TOR. cwe/sr/nHTTQQNEV Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UN IT-E'D STATES PATENT OFFICEREFRIGERATED' MILK I'iELIVERY TRUCK Christian 'Niels'em Los- Angeles,Calif., as'signorfto Arden Farms 00., -Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of Delaware 4 Claims.

This invention'relates to route trucks employed in the retail deliveryof milk and other'dair'y products and particularly to improvements inthe'refrigeration facilities on suchtrucks.

Heretofore the problem of keeping-the loa'cl' of dairy products, carriedaround a'retail route in a milk delivery truck, below the maximumallowable temperature of -50"F.was solved by covering'the bottles ofmilk throughout the day run with fabric bags filled with cracked ice.

'Inlarge operations, the cost of icing the trucks was about adollar -aday-'andwithoutthe driver exercising a high degree of care throughoutthe day, everyday, the refrigeration by the ice was spotty.

It is an object of the? present invention to produce a milkdeliverytruck:

-(1) which will have" better re frigeration 'a't'le'ss expense thantheice 'pack s'y'stemwhichpreceded it in generaluse; and

(2) which'will not'require the meticulous care from ithe-driver requiredby the ice pack system inford'er to-asSure that all portions of theloadwill be kept cold. I

Themai'n reason for'the universality-of the ice pack-system inrefrigerating the milk in retail milk route trucks is the necessityforthe driver of such a truck to have frequent access to thevariouscasesofbottled-dairy products carried therein to selectfor'each customer,- ashishouse isappreached, the items needed to fill his order.

With the ice pack system it-waspractical to have a free-and open passagebetween the drivers compartment, that is, the space where he sits'ors-tandsjjust behind 'the drivers'wheel, and the housed-body of the truckrearward therefroinjin which the cases-of dairy products are carried.The. rear 'end of the truck housing was provided with a doorwhich'was-kept closede-Xcepflwhen loading or unloading the truck atthebeginning or end'oi' a days run. 7

That to 's'ay, the interior of the truck bo'dy housing was hotdivided-into compartments an d this has, until now, been thoughtunavoidable because of-the necessity of frequentfreeaccess by-thedriverto the entire load of goods carried in the'truCk. v

it;nether obj ect of this invention is to provide ainilk routetruck'-which includes'a'normally closed refrigeration room for theproduct andyet gives a freedom-of access by the driver to the productforfillingeach order he'must select'therefrom, which is seam to the 'freeaccess to "the product heenjoyed in the old truck where no partitionintervened between the driver and the load of dairy products in thetruck.

Themanner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as furtherobjects and advantages, will be made manifest in the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is adiagrammatic longitudinal vertical sectional view of apreferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional View taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1, showing therefrigeration chamber service door of the invention'as when opened.

Fig. '4: is a diagrammatic representation of the vacuum power unitpreferably employed forthe power actuation of said door.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the invention is "there shown asembodied in a milk delivery truck 10, including a standard light truckchassis ll, which is provided "with a power unit [2, including aninter'nalcombustion engine (not shown) and having a gear shift lever 13.clutch and brake pedals i4 and a steering wheel I5 for usefin drivingsaid truck,

;Mounted'onthe-chassis H isa body 29 having a floor 2| "which'is dividedinto'a forward section 22 and a rear section 23, side walls 24, a backwall 25 having' a loading door 26 provided therein, a front wall-21having a windshield 28 provided therein, and a roof 29.

The space within the housing 26 is divided by a transverse partition35into a drivers compartment'36 and a refrigeration chamber 31 (Fig. l).The floor section 2'2 is at a lower level than the fioor'section 23, theinterval between these being closed by'a-lowersection 38 of thepartition 35. The partitiontfi also includes a loading gate 39 which ismounted on the upper edge of the section 38 by hinges 40 and has bolts4| which are adapted to extend laterally into suitable holes provided inmoldings 42 formed on the side walls 24 about passageways 43 throughwhich the driver may enter or leave the compartment 36 at either side ofthetruck it.

An upper section 551 'of the partition 35 is'o'ffse't rearwardly fromthe plane'of the portion 38 and gate 39 thereof and i pivotally securedat its lower edge by hinges 5| to a refrigeration chamher service door52which, when closed, slopesforwardly and downwardly with its lower edgeresting on top of the gate 39.

The roof 29 is pro'videdwith an inner layer of cork "53 where thiscovers the refrigeration chamber 31. Built within this chamber so as tohave the upper partition section 50 as the front wall thereof is anauxiliary storage cabinet 54, access to which is had by doors 55carrying snap locks 56 for holding these closed and which are pivotallymounted on hinges provided on the section 50.

The refrigeration chamber service door 52 has a power actuatingmechanism 56 with an electrical control system 6| for controlling thesame. The mechanism comprises a vacuum door opening and closing unitwhich may be any of the standard units commonly employed for thispurpose on trucks, busses and the like such as the unit of this type nowmanufactured by the Bendix Company. It includes a vacuum tank 63, whichis connected by a suitable hose B4 to the intake manifold of the truckengine. Air is thus normally kept exacuated from the tank 53 so that asubstantially uniform source of vacuum is available at all times foractuating the mechanism 50. This mechanism includes a vacuum cylinder 55having a piston slidable therein, this being mounted on a rod 6'! whichis covered where it extends outwardly through the head of cylinder 55 bya Sylphon bellows I58. The rod El has a clevis "I0 at its end which ispivotally connected to one arm of a bell crank II the other end of whichpivotally connects to a twin buckle link 12, the lower end of whichpivots on a bracket l3 afiixed to the door 52. Mounted on the upperpartition section 50 is a bracket 14 on which the bell crank ll pivots.

The cylinder 65 is pivotally mounted at on a bracket SI provided on theroof 29 and is electrically controlled by a valve 82, which is actuatedby a solenoid 83. The valve 82 has a spring 84 which normally shifts avalve member 85 to connect pipe 85 leading from vacuum tank 03 with apipe 81' which connects with the lefthand end of the cylinder 65. Whenthe solenoid 83 is energized, this throws the valve member 85 to theopposite end of the valve 82, thereby connecting the pipe 81 with theatmosphere through a port 88 and connecting vacuum line 86 with a line89 leading to the righthand end of the cylinder 55, thereby extendingthe rod 6'! from the cylinder and swinging the bell crank II to lift thedoor 52 as shown in Fig. 3. When the solenoid 83 is deenergized, thespring 84 returns the valve member 85 to its normal position as shown inFig. 4, which connects the Vacuum lines 86 and 8! so as to impose avacuum on the lefthand end of cylinder 65 and connects the righthand endof this cylinder through pipe 80 with a port 90 leading to theatmosphere so that the rod 5'! is power retracted to return the door 52rapidly downwardly into its closed position.

The service door 52 is provided with spring counterbalance devices atits opposite ends to assist in supporting the weight of the door 52whereby it will rise and fall at the same speeds when actuated by themechanism 60. Each device 95 includes a pair of arms 95 and 97, thefirst of which is pivotally connected to the door 52 and the latter ofwhich is pivotally connected to one of the thickened portions 98 of theside walls 24 which comprises insulation for the refrigeration chamber3?. A spiral spring 99 is mounted on each of the devices 85 tending toexpand the arms 98 and 81, these spring thus exerting lifting forcesagainst opposite ends of the door 52.

The electrical control system SI for the mechanism 60 includes a pair ofpush button switches I85 and I05 and a source of electricity, such as abattery I0? one side of which connects to the ground. Switch I05 isnormally open and switch I05 is normally closed, these two beingassociated with a normally open relay I08. These elements of theelectrical system 6| are connected as follows: one side of switch I05 isconnected by a conductor I09 to the battery I0! and to one side of relayswitch I08. The other side of switch IE5 is connected by a conductor IIt to the other side of relay switch I08 and to one side of the solenoid83. The conductor IIO also connects to one terminal of the coil III ofrelay I08, the other terminal of which connect to one side of switchI065. The other side of switch I06 connects through a conductor II2 tothe ground and to the other side of solenoid 83.

Mounted on the floor section 22 in the drivers compartment 35 is avertical socket II5 which pivotally receives a post H6 of a driver'sseat II1.

While any suitable means may be provided for refrigerating the chamber3?, I prefer to refrigerate this by means of units I20 which aresupported by brackets I2I on the side walls 24 inside the chamber 3'!and which have outside connections (not shown) for connecting arefrigerating plant therewith so as to cool the units I20 down to asub-zero temperature while the truck I0 is at the plant during theintervals between successive days runs by the truck.

Although not shown in the drawings, suitable rubber packing of the typeordinarily used on refri erator doors is preferably provided betweendoors 28, 52 and 55 and gate 39 and the edges of the openings theyclose.

Operation After the engine in the power unit l2 has been running a shorttime, the vacuum tank '63 has the air sufficiently evacuated therefromto apply suction through pipes 86 and 8! to the lefthand end of thecylinder 65, thereby positively holding the service door 52 downwardlyin closed position as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The door 52 is normallyclosed and it remains thus until the driver pushes the button I05 of theswitch GI. This completes the circuit of the solenoid 83 and energizesthe relay switch I08, causing the latter to hold this circuit closedafter pressure on the switch I05 is released. When thus energized, thesolenoid shifts the valve element 85 from its leftward position to arightward position, thereby opening the left end of cylinder 65 to theatmosphere and connecting the righthand end of this cylinder throughtubes 89 and 86 with the vacuum tank 63. This extends the piston rod 51to the right, swinging the door 52 to its upward position shown in Fig.3, and holds the door thus raised by the continued application of vacuumto the righthand end of the cylinder 65.

When the operator desires to lower door 52 to its closed position, hemomentarily touches button I0 8, thereby breaking the circuit of therelay switch I08 which, in turn, breaks the power circuit of thesolenoid 83, permitting the spring 84 to return the valve member 85 toits leftward position as shown in Fig. 4. This connects the righthandend of the cylinder 85 with the atmosphere and applies suction to thelefthand end of this cylinder, thereby swinging the door 52 downwardlyunder power to its closed position.

,systemiwhich cools these, units to a'temperature of:approximately-181F.and. also chills the air in therefrigeration chamber t'l and the walls,surrounding the sameto a temperature below freez- =To-=load the truck 5Hi, ;the service door 52 is lifted as above described to its openposition shown in Fig.3;theybo1ts 4! are withdrawn from the molding 42;the gate 1 9 is swung downwardly 180 about the hinges ii]; and theloading door 26in therear wa1l, 25 is opened. Various cases of milk andother liquid dairy products, as required, are now loaded intorefrigeration chamber 37, and the door 36, gate 39 and service door 52are closed as shown in Fig. 1.

The auxiliary refrigeration cabinet '54 is for use. in storing solidproducts sold on the route sue-has butter, cheeseand eggs. Access to thecabinet 54'is had .through-thedoors =55,.which are accessible only whenthe service door 52 is lowered.

With the truck it properly loaded, the driver isready to start on hisroute. As he approaches the residence of each customer, he presses thebutton I05 while the truck I0 is being brought to a halt. As is obviousfrom Fig. 1, the seat H1 and the service door 52 are so arranged andspaced from each other that the driver may occupy the seat H! while thedoor 52 moves from its closed to its open position, without danger ofthe driver being struck by the moving door. This constitutes atime-saving feature in that the driver may press the button I05 toinitiate opening of the service door 52 far enough in advance so thatthe door will reach its full open position by the time the vehicle isbrought to a stop. Thus, when the truck stops and the driver turns inhis seat H! to assemble the order for this customer, the service door 52has already reached its upper position shown in Fig. 3, therebyaffording the driver complete access to the products stored in theforward portion of the refrigeration chamber 31. He is thus able toquickly reach in and select the bottles of milk, cream or the likerequired to fill the particular order he is about to deliver and liftthese out of the chamber 37. Before leaving the truck l0, he presses thebutton I06 either with his finger or with an article carried on onehand, so that the door 52 is lowered almost immediately when the needfor its being open ceases. After completing his delivery, the driverreturns to the truck l9 and drives to the next stop, where the operationof opening the service door 52 and closing the same above described isrepeated.

As the service door 52 is being opened to permit the driver to haveaccess to the interior of refrigeration chamber 31, the driver leaveshis seat to stand on the compartment floor 22 with the upper edge of theloading gate 39 about level with his waist. When the driver reaches intothe chamber 31, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3, he is thus ableto rest his weight on the upper edge of this gate which at that time islocked in place by the bolts t! so as to comprise an integral. upperportion of the lower partition section 38. It is also to be noted thatby virtue of the service door 52 extending transversely the full widthof the refrigeration chamber 31, the driver has complete access to saidchamber while he is thus resting his weight on the upper edge of thegate 39. This greatly facilitates the removal by the driver from chamber31 of whatever products he requires in making up a customers order, asit not only gives him complete access to the full width of said chamberbut affords support for his weight while'he is reaching into thechamber-and lifting out the products he-iisselecting therefrom.

Wheneveran order :to.,a igiven customerineludes products storedv inxthe:cabinet '54, these are removed throughuone. of the doors 55, eitherbefore or afteropening .the service doori52 to obtain bottled productsfrom the chamber '31.

From the foregoing-description .of the ioperation of my invention, it isclear that Iihave provided a milk delivery tr-uck:"having.arcompletelyenclosed refrigeration chamber "by the use of which ice bagrefrigeration-may be'entirely eliminated. It has been .proven inpracticein employingthe truck-of the inventionthat a lower' temperature may bemaintained in the chamber 3? throughout a day's in extremely 'hotweather than is practical-with the ice bag system and this isaccomplished -while-at the same time eliminating the need for the drivertojuggle ice bags around overhis load-throughout the day so as' tobec'ertain that each'bottle of milk has the proper refrigerationat-all-'times.

It is also=believed evident that'these advantages in a milk truck arerealized in my invention while affording the operator practically ascomplete and free access to the bottled products in his truck whenmaking up the individual orders of his customers as existed in the oldtype of milk delivery truck in which the interior of the truck was atall times entirely open to the driver.

In addition to having the above advantages, there is a saving inoperating the milk delivery truck of my invention of over two thirds ofthe cost of refrigeration alone.

The claims are:

1. In a milk delivery truck body, the combination of: a housingincluding a floor, side walls, a back wall, a front wall and a roof; agenerally upright transverse partition dividing the interior of saidhousing into a drivers compartment disposed forwardly therefrom and arefrigeration chamber disposed rearwardly therefrom, said side wallshaving passageways opening laterally from said compartment through whichthe driver may enter and leave the latter, said partition being dividedinto a lower transverse section and an upper transverse section thelatter being set back rearwardly a substantial distance from said lowerpartition section and spaced upwardly therefrom to provide a servicedoor opening extending substantially the full width of said chamber;adrivers seat in said compartment mounted forwardly of said lowerpartition section; a service door hinged at its upper edge to the loweredge of said upper partition section and being inclined forwardly anddownwardly, when closed, to close the opening between said partitionsections, and being inclined forwardly and upwardly in front of saidupper partition section, when open, to give the driver full access tosaid refrigeration chamber; power actuated means in said compartment formoving said door from one of said inclined positions to the other; anddriveroperable control means for said power actuated means located insaid compartment, said service door being disposed relative to saiddrivers seat so that it can swing from closed to open position while thedriver is seated without danger of striking the driver.

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which an upper transverse portion ofthe lower transverse section of said partition comprises a gate which ishingedly joined at its lower edge with the bal- 'ance of said lowersection; and locking means for normally holding said gate in verticalupward extension of the balance of said lower section, said lockingmeans being optionally operable to permit said gate to swing downwardlywhereby in cooperation with the opening of said service door arelatively large opening is provided in said partition for loading orcleaning out said refrigeration chamber.

3. A combination as in claim 2 which includes an auxiliary cold storagecabinet built into said housing within said chamber, the front end ofwhich cabinet is formed by the set back upper section of said partition;and auxiliary door means provided in said upper section for givingaccess to said cabinet.

4. A combination as in claim 1 in which said power actuated meansincludes; a vacuum cylinder having a piston and piston rod and beingmounted under said roof near the front end thereof; a bell crankpivotally mounted on said upper set-back section of said partition, anupper arm of said bell crank being pivotally connected to said pistonrod; and a link pivotally connected to a lower arm of said bell crankand to said service door, and in which the control means for the poweractuated means includes elements for controlling pressure conditions insaid vacuum cylinder to control movement of the piston therein CHRISTIANNIELSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

